=~,,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,,~=
*=~,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,~=*
$*=~,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,~=*$
§$*=~,,,,,                                          ,,,,,~=*$§
#§$*=~,,,,                                          ,,,,~=*$§#
@#§$*=~,,,             ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,             ,,,~=*$§#@
#@#§$*=~,,             the alvar fields             ,,~=*$§#@#
@#§$*=~,,,             $$$#@#@#@#@#@$$$             ,,,~=*$§#@
#§$*=~,,,,                                          ,,,,~=*$§#
§$*=~,,,,, from   north   to   south,   thirty  odd ,,,,,~=*$§
$*=~,,,,,, kilometers.  from  west  to  east,  four ,,,,,,~=*$
*=~,,,,,,, thousand meters. from topsoil to  stone, ,,,,,,,~=*
=~,,,,,,,, a foot or  two. no roots can  fester, no ,,,,,,,,~=
~,,,,,,,,,             dust can linger.             ,,,,,,,,,~
,,,,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, here is  earth,  clay,  and  sturdy  low ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, plants.  bushes  frame  the  strip.  the ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, earth  is  bare  in patches  as large as ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,,                you and me.               ,,,,,,,,,,
~,,,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,,,~
=~,,,,,,,, cross it to  get to the  ocean, or don't ,,,,,,,,~=
*=~,,,,,,,          to stay where you are.          ,,,,,,,~=*
$*=~,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,~=*$
§$*=~,,,,,                                          ,,,,,~=*$§
#§$*=~,,,,                                          ,,,,~=*$§#
@#§$*=~,,,                                          ,,,~=*$§#@
#@#§$*=~,,                                          ,,~=*$§#@#
@#§$*=~,,,                                          ,,,~=*$§#@